Postgame: A Sad, Sad Night

Yech, just not a good night for the Calgary Flames on Thursday as they fell 3-0 at the hands of the Florida Panthers. It was a game that lacked excitement, entertainment, and most importantly from the Calgary perspective, it lacked compete level and enthusiasm. For the second time in three games, the Flames failed to score a goal.

WHAT HAPPENED

The Flames got off to a good start, had some possession and yielded a couple chances, but it all unravelled after the first of two goals from Radek Dvorak at 4:20 of the first period. Dvorak scored a seeing eye goal just a few minutes later, beating Miikka Kiprusoff through about four players, three of them Flames. The first period ended 2-0 in favour of Florida, and the second period was about as listless as possible.

Calgary had two shots on net into the latter stages of the middle frame, and they only ended up with four overall before pumping 17 towards Tomas Vokoun in a deceiving third period. After Shawn Mathias scored at 9:57 of the final frame, the Panthers completely sat back and the Flames FINALLY decided to start pressing. After being outchanced in the first two periods, they finally started to generate opportunities, but unfortunately it was far too little too late.

ONE GOOD REASON

…why the Flames lost? Because, well, they just weren’t very good. It’s not like they were terrible, but pretty much top to bottom, the Flames just didn’t want to compete. They were constantly beat by Panthers players to pucks, constantly outworked along the boards, and constantly forced to turn over pucks inside their own blueline.

My worry heading into this game was why I was worried each and every time the Flames played the Colorado Avalanche last season. Sure, they won the final two games in that six game series, but it seems as if when Calgary goes up against a well coached team with a strong buy-in, they run into trouble. Florida didn’t stray from their gameplan, and they were able to ride a pretty strong, team performance to a shutout win.

RED WARRIOR

I’ll go with…uh…jeez…not a good night once again. I liked Brett Sutter, and have for the most part all season. He’s not going to light you on fire with his offence, but he’s going to be consistent in his role. In a game lacking any compete or fire, Sutter provided a little.

SUM IT UP

The Flames just didn’t come to play. The Panthers outplayed, outworked, outskated and finally outscored the home team and walk away with their first win of the season. Offensively, Calgary was brutal…it was an absolute disaster every time they tried to gain the zone, whether it be even strength or on the powerplay.

Speaking of the man advantage…just no good. It finished 0-4, and wouldn’t have a goal through three games if it wasn’t for Niklas Hagman’s empty netter late in Sunday’s win over the Kings. Head Coach Brent Sutter split up lines in the second period, trying to provide a spark to his group, but it didn’t seem to work. Pretty much everything was shifted through this game, and for good reason. Most notably, Olli Jokinen was demoted in the middle frame and didn’t return to the top line.

It’s gotta be a whole lot better against the Oilers on Saturday. But you all know that.

Tim Kennedy’s another youngster with some jump. Demoted by the Rangers… Wonder if he’d have gone to the tough spots last evening? $550K salary, too. Less than Ivanans… ?? On another tangent… How about Bouwmeester for Brad Richards?

On adding players – as Im reminded by a number of people on Twitter whenever the issue comes up, the Flames have 49 of a possible 50 pro contracts alreayd under their belts. So adding players (beyond the now totally convoluted salary cap issues) is a sticky situation.

Funny how there is no mention of injuries anymore? Just how much we suck after 3 games. I admit that Kotalik and Moss aren’t top end talent but they definitely solidify our line-up and allow for different line combinations. If Langkow were to get back into the line up Langkow, Stajan, Jokinen, Conroy/Morrison, isn’t such a bad centre depth chart. Jokinen could probably feast on weaker comp, lined up in a 3rd line set up with Kotalik and Moss/Glencross. Lankow could help do some heavy lifting to help keep Iggy and Tanguay above water + they have proven chemistry in the past. Langkow still knows how to put the puck in the net if he was given a favourable zone start and some talented wingers.

I don’t know of any other teams that have the injury issues that the Flames do. It’s funny how injuries are no excuse for sub-par performance in Calgary but Detroit had no problem stating that their regular season woes were caused by the injury bug last year. If they don’t perform when everyone returns that is another story.

I mentioned injuries… in my rant… so we are in agreement, on many fronts.

It is a factor. On-ice chemistry takes time. Look at our second line last night, centered by Stajan. Case-and-point.

@kent

Adding players would be sticky. Agreed. Unless we traded/waived/re-assigned a few. Staois comes to mind. As does Sarich… Bouwmeester should still have value… And so on. Perhaps, like most fans, I am grasping at straws…

Here’s hoping all those in sick-bay get well soon. Real soon. (I’d stay with Meyer as the 4th line centre, though) Moss may not be front-line talent, but he’s the type of player with size and guts to go to the places many on the Flames currently will not go… to create chances. He’s the kind of players Cup teams look for, recognize as valuable. A keeper.

I hate to say it guys (I am a huge Iggy fan) but without more effort from our Captain I don’t see the rest of the team doing anything. To me he looked like the worst out there, by far the worst player per salary. How many give-aways did he have. The power play must have been embarrassing for him. Get to the blue line, lose the puck. What 3 times in a row?

I can’t believe the fans were booing last night! What did they expect? There have been no team, character, chemistry, leadership, coaching style, management changes made from last season. Do they expect something different? As said previously, even if they don’t have the talent and aren’t winning, at least give the fans effort and exitement. That has been non-existent and a carry over from last night. GlenX is fantastic to watch. He was the best player last night. Not from skill, from effort. I see effort as well from the “Joke” but he’s a shooter, not a scorer any more. Were the nets bigger in Florida? Like 5 feet wider on each side?

…I feel your sentiment, but it’s not that simple. I’m not saying I agree with all of Sutter’s moves or I agree with the professional inbreeding that seems to follow them. However, everyone has their own way of doing things. Some things the organization has done have worked out, some haven’t. Let cooler heads prevail until halfway throuhg the season people.